Conduit positioning device for slabs

ABSTRACT

A conduit positioning or locating device adapted to be secured to formwork defining one side of a slab of concrete or other settable material for positioning a conduit for passage through the slab. The device includes a body, having at least one opening on its top side for receipt of a conduit. The body has means, such as a spigot and socket, on at least one side adapted for cooperative engagement with a further device whereby to enable a plurality of the devices to be located in a complementary mating configuration.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to a conduit positioning or locating deviceswhich are particularly designed for use in positioning conduits forpassage through concrete slabs, for example concrete slab walls orfloors.

BACKGROUND ART

There is currently known a conduit positioning device which is arrangedto position conduits carrying electrical cables for passage throughconcrete slabs. Such a device comprises a member which has a generallyfrustoconical side wall an annular flange about the larger diameter endof the device and an end wall opposite the annular flange which includesa socket for receipt of the conduit. In use, the device is secured toformwork by means of clouts which are passed through the annular flangewhich for that purpose is provided with a series of spaced apartapertures. The conduit is then inserted into the socket and when theconcrete is poured, it encapsulates the device and conduit. After theconcrete has cured and the formwork is removed, the device is pulledaway from the cured slab, either with the formwork or separately leavinga void in which the end of the conduit terminates. The end of theconduit may then be connected to a further conduit or conduit fitting inthe void.

The main disadvantage of his form of device is that because of itsconfiguration, being circular in cross-section, a series of devicescannot be located any closer than a position where flanges of adjacentdevices abut each other. This therefore means that the area required forthe passage of conduits through the slab is substantial, particularlywhere a large number of conduits are required to be passed through aslab. In addition, some difficulty is often encountered in removing thedevice from the slab.

The present invention aims to overcome or alleviate one or more of theabove disadvantages by providing an improved conduit positioning orlocating device which permits conduits which are required to be passedthrough a slab to be located relatively closely to each other andtherefore reduce the area of the slab required for passage of conduits.

The present invention firer aims to provide a device in modular formwhich may be associated with one or more other such positioning devicesto locate a plurality of conduits. Other objects and advantages of theinvention will become apparent from the following description

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The present invention thus provides in one aspect, a conduit positioningor locating device adapted to be secured to formwork defining one sideof a slab of concrete or other settable material for positioning aconduit for passage through said slab, said device including a body,having a socket or opening on its top side for receipt of a conduit,said body having means on at least one side adapted for co-operativeengagement with a further said device whereby to enable a pair of saiddevices to be located in a complementary mating configuration

In one form, the body includes on opposites sides complementary couplingmeans adapted for engagement with corresponding complementary couplingmeans of an adjacent device whereby a series of devices may beinterconnected. The complementary coupling means may in one formcomprise a spigot and socket. In one particularly preferred form, eachside of the body may be provided with a spigot and socket which opposeeach other on opposite sides of the device. The opposite sides of thebody may be substantially planar such that when the devices are in theircomplementary mating configuration, the planar sides thereof arejuxtaposed.

The body may also include flange means which enable the body to besecured to formwork. The flange means may comprise flanges on oppositeends of the device. The flanges may be apertured to receive fastenerstherethrough, such as clouts whereby the devices may be releasablysecured to formwork.

The sockets in respective bodies may be of different sizes for receiptof conduit of different diameter. In addition, in one form the body mayinclude a plurality of sockets to enable a plurality of conduits to bepositioned in a slab by the single body.

End devices may also be provided the end devices having thecomplementary coupling means on one side only. The other or outer sideof the end device may be of any configuration, such as curved or square.Peripheral securing flanges may be located about the outer sides of theend devices to enable the end devices to be secured to the formwork. Thedevices are suitably formed of plastics material, for example by amoulding process.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

In order that the invention may be more readily understood and put intopractical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanyingdrawings which illustrate embodiment of the invention and wherein:

FIG. 1 is an end view of a positioning device according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 and 5 illustrate the manner of use of the device of theinvention;

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a series of devices interconnected;

FIG. 7 is a side view of the assembly of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a positioning device provided with multiplepositioning sockets; and

FIG. 9 is an underside view of the device of FIGS. 1 and 2.

Referring to the drawings and firstly to FIGS. 1 to 3 and 9 there isillustrated a conduit positioning device 10 accordingly to the presentinvention comprising a body 11 which has opposite substantially planarupright side walls 12 and which include opposite end walls 13 which areinclined downwardly from a top wall 14. End flanges 15 extend from thelower side of the end walls 13 to enable the device 10 to be secured toformwork which defines one side of a slab of concrete to be formed. Eachplanar side wall 12 includes an outwardly projecting spigot or pin 16 adan inwardly directly socket or bore 17 complementary to the pin orspigot 16.

The top wall 14 of the body 11 is provided with a socket 18 forreceiving a conduit 19 show in dotted outlined in FIG. 1.

In use, and as shown in FIG. 4, the body 11 is secured to formwork 20defining one side of a slab to be formed by clouts 21 at a positionwhere the conduit 19 is required to be passed through the slab. Aconduit 19 is then inserted into the socket 18 and may be retained bytying to steel reinforcement 22. The concrete is then poured about thedevice 10 and conduit 19 onto the formwork 20 to encapsulate the device10. After the concrete has cured, the formwork 20 is detached and thedevice 10 is removed either with the formwork 20 or separately leaving avoid 23 about the end 24 of the conduit 19 for connection to a furtherconduit or coupling (see FIG. 5).

The configuration of the device 10 pets a plurality of devices 10 to becoupled in a side by side relationship as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 withthe respective devices 10 being aligned and joined through engagement ofthe complementary spigots 16 and sockets 17.

In the devices 10 illustrated in FIG. 6, the sockets 18 of respectivedevices 10 are shown to be of different sizes. It will be apparent,however, that the sockets 18 may be of all the same size. Thearrangement described and shown positions the sockets 18 of therespective devices 10 closely to each other which decreases the areaneeded to bring conduits, say into switchboards and panels. At each endof the assembly of devices 10 in FIGS. 6 and 7, end units 25 and 26 maybe provided. Each end unit 25 and 26 has only one planar wall which isjuxtaposed with a planar wall of a device 10. The planar wall of thedevices 25 and 26, however, has complementary coupling means of the sameform as the devices of FIG. 10, such as to enable them to be coupled tothe devices 10.

The end device 25, however, has an outer curved wall 27 and curvedflange 28 for enabling the device 25 to be secured to formwork. Theopposite end device 26 is of substantially rectangular formincorporating a perimeter flange 29 for attachment to formwork. The enddevices 25 and 26 incorporate sockets 18 as with the devices 10. Thesockets 18 may be of any diameter.

Referring now to FIG. 8 there is illustrated a positioning device 30which in this instance is provided with a plurality of sockets 18 andwhich has opposite end walls 31 which incorporate connecting spigots 16and sockets 17 of the same form as the device 10. The device 30eliminates the need to join a series of separate devices 10.

The positioning devices of the invention may be used in any applicationwhere conduits are required to be positioned in concrete slabs, forexample for location above switchboards or walls for drops to switches,power points, telephone outlets or other similar fittings or passingthrough from one concrete slab to another. The devices 10 substantiallyreduce the area occupied by the conduits and to enable easy removal fromthe concrete slab after curing thereof, formwork oil may be applied tothe devices prior to pouring of concrete.

The devices are also reusable as if pulled free from the slab with theformwork, they may be simply detached from the formwork by removing thehold-down clouts or screws. For easier removal, the devices may beplaced on a thin sheet of foam plastics material or the like which sitson the formwork will reduce the possibility of concrete passing beneaththe flanges. This will also facilitate easier removal of the devicesfrom the poured slab.

The sockets 18, for receiving the conduits preferably are in theconfiguration of a blind bore which is defined by a generally tubularmember 32 as shown in FIG. 9. The tubular member 32 extends into ahollow 33 in the underside of the device 10 below the top wall 14 and issupported by radially ending ribs 34. All components are preferablymoulded integrally of plastics. It will be appreciated, however, thatthis configuration is only one configuration possible and the device 10may have many other different configurations.

The spigot and sockets 16 and 17 for interconnecting the devices 10 havebeen shown to be of one particular form It will be appreciated, however,that the spigot and socket may be of many different forms which willenable complementary coupling between respective devices. The spigot andsocket described, simply allow one device to be slid into engagementwith another device. If desired, however, the spigot and socket mayprovide for a more positive engagement, for example a snap-in engagementof the spigot and socket This will more positively hold the devicestogether but will still permit removal of the devices.

The devices 10, as well as the end devices 25 and 26 are mirrorreversible which therefore reduces the cost of manufacturing the devicesin a moulding process. Of course, a pair of end devices 25 or 26 may beused together where only two conduits are required to pass through theslab.

Whilst the above has been given by way of illustrative embodiment of theinvention, all such modifications and variations thereto as would beapparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within thebroad scope and ambit of the invention as herein defined in the appendedclaims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A conduit positioning element for a concreteslab, said element comprising:a body having a base portion, said bodycomprising:a conduit locating recess having an opening formed in a topportion of said body, said recess having a closed end opposite saidopening; and at least one upright planer wall comprising a spigotprojection spaced from a socket recess: and at least one mounting flangeadjacent said base portion; said element being engagable with furthersaid elements by coupling of respective said spigot projections withsaid socket recesses for compact alignment of two or more said conduitlocating recesses adjacent a face of said concrete slab, said elementbeing removable from a concrete slab after removal of slab framework toform a recess in a face of said slab with an exposed end of at least oneconduit extending thereinto.
 2. The element according to claim 1,wherein said body includes tapered walls on opposite sides thereof, saidtapered walls tapering divergently towards said base portion.
 3. Theelement according to claim 2, wherein a mounting flange extends fromeach tapered wall.
 4. The element according to claim 1, wherein saidbody includes opposed upright planar walls each having a spigotprojection spaced from a socket recess, said spigot projection on oneupright planar wall being axially aligned with said socket recess on anopposite upright planar wall.
 5. The element according to claim 2,further comprising a further tapered wall opposite said at least oneupright planar wall, said further tapered wall tapering divergentlytowards said base portion.
 6. The element according to claim 5, whereinsaid further tapered wall comprises a mounting flange adjacent said baseportion.
 7. The element according to claim 1, further comprising aplurality of conduit locating recesses.
 8. A conduit positioning devicefor a concrete slab, said device comprising a plurality of coupledelements according to claim
 1. 9. The conduit positioning deviceaccording to claim 8, wherein said conduit locating recesses ofrespective elements are of different sizes to accommodate conduits ofdiffering diameter.
 10. The conduit positioning device according toclaim 8, wherein opposing endmost elements have a tapered end walltapering divergently towards respective base portions thereof.
 11. Aconduit positioning element for a concrete slab comprising:a) a baseportion; b) at least one mounting flange adjacent said base portion ofsaid element; c) a conduit locating recess having an open end and aclosed end opposite said open end; and d) at least one upright planarwall;said at least one upright planar wall including a spigot projectionspaced from a socket recess, said element, in use, being engagable witha further like element by coupling of respective spigot projections withsocket recesses for compact alignment of two or more conduit locatingrecesses adjacent a face of said concrete slab, wherein said element isremovable from a formed concrete slab after removal of slab formwork toform a recess in a face of said slab.